The New Stone AgeThe Neolithic Era

Began as early as 10,000 years ago in Southwest Asia

Click for Sing-a-long Song

Big Idea

The development of agriculture brought great changes to human society.Main Ideas:O The first farmers learned to grow plants

and raise animals in the New Stone AgeO Farming changed societies and the way

people lived.

Video- stone age comparison

If you were there…OScenario:As a gatherer you know where to find the sweetest fruits. Every summer, you eat many of these fruits, dropping the seeds on the ground. One day you return to find new plants everywhere. You realize the plants have grown from your dropped seeds.Q: How could this discovery change your life?

Consider this….FOOD changes:O Can plant seeds &

grow foodO Will have more

stable food supply

O Will not have to gather plants

O Will not have to follow herds

Other Changes We will be able to

feed more people Will have more

time for activities other than finding food

Will be able to settle in one placeQ: How can this

discovery change your life?

Development of AgricultureO Neolithic Revolution-Shift from food

gathering to food producing O Domestication of plants and animals

O Warming led to growth of wild barley and wheat plants (grains)

O Tools: O polished stone saws and drillsO Learned to make fireO Developed new metal tools

Domestication of Animals

Pros:O Hunters didn’t have to follow herds

anymoreO Sheep or goats were kept for milk, food,

and woolO Cattle could carry heavy loads or pull

large tools used in farmingO The use of animals in farming greatly

improved people’s chances of survivingCons:O Having animals live close to people and

communities caused new diseases in humans.

Fertile CrescentO Crops grow well near rivers where water is

readily available and regular floods make the soil rich.

O Mesopotamia- “between two rivers” in Greek

O Problem: early settlers needed to learn how to control the flow of the river to their field throughout the year.

O Solutions: Irrigation and canalsO Result: Surplus of food and division of labor

Workbook pages 14-15

Catal Huyuk- TurkeyO One of the earliest known farming villages

discovered (8,000 years ago)O Home to 5,000- 6,000 people living in 1,000

housesO They:

O FarmedO HuntedO FishedO Traded with distant landsO Worshiped gods in special shrinesO As villages & communities grew-the need for government arose.

Textbook pages 42-43:

How did farmers get water to their fields?

Quick Check

Changes in Details

Climate

Use of plants

Use of animals

Daily life

-Warms over time allowing grains to grow easily-People adapt to the temperatures as they migrate-changing plants to grow largest or sweetest-seeds planted for food-fiber plants for making clothing-domesticated for food, milk, wool/ fur-used to carry heavy loads or pull large farming tools-new division of labor (no longer needed as many hunters)-built & maintained permanent home and fields